The wash from a vessel travelling at speed can cause damage to moored vessels, endanger other water users and erode riverbanks and beaches. It can also endanger persons on the speeding vessel due to the harbour’s shallow nature and multiple obstacles.

There’s a strict speed limit within the harbour and its approaches of 4 knots.

On the seaward side of Mudeford Sandbank, and along all the local beaches, there is a speed limit of 8 knots within the yellow buoys. Extra care should be taken when navigating this area and a good lookout kept for swimmers and other water users.

On entering The Run, large signs on both sides of the channel show where the four knots speed limit starts. However, you should be mindful of your wash and slow down before the downstream end of it.

The entire harbour and its navigable river estuaries are covered by the 4 knots speed limit. Further signage showing the speed limit can be found along the riverbanks.

We will take legal action against anyone exceeding the speed limit in a motorised vessel.